Losses have been few for LeBron James-led teams against Charlotte
LBJ很久不識輸給夏洛特的滋味了
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If you are LeBron James, you might not recall what it’s like to lose a game
to a Charlotte-based NBA team.
Last time that happened was Feb. 19, 2010. The then-Charlotte Bobcats
actually pounded Cleveland that night 110-93 and James left the Cavs the
following summer, heading to the Miami Heat in free agency.
It’s been ugly since then. James’ teams – the Heat from 2010 through 2014
and the Cavs last season after he returned to Cleveland – are a combined
22-0 against the Bobcats/Hornets in that span. That includes a 4-0 playoff
sweep two seasons ago.
You might hope that would create a complacency as James’ Cavs show up in
Charlotte for a 7 p.m. meeting Friday with the 9-6 Hornets, if not a
tryptophan-induced post-Thanksgiving stupor.
James’ Cavs are 3-4 on the road following Wednesday’s loss in Toronto, and
he vented afterward about his team’s lack of a “bunker” mentality away
from Quicken Loans Arena.
“It comes from within and I’ve always had it,” a frustrated James said
Wednesday. “You either have it or you don’t.”
Uh-oh.
The Hornets enter Friday’s game minus their best option to guard James, who
averages 25.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 6.7 assists.
Small forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is out, likely for the season, following
shoulder surgery. Coach Steve Clifford was asked Wednesday (the Hornets didn’
t practice Thursday) about his remaining options to guard James. He mentioned
P.J. Hairston and Marvin Williams, hoping he wouldn’t have to assign Nic
Batum to James until at least the fourth quarter.
Not incidentally, Clifford gushed with praise for Williams, based on Williams
’ defense against the Washington Wizards. Clifford called Williams “
Gilchrist-like,” then jokingly asked media not to pass that on to Gilchrist.
Williams has guarded James often – more when he was with the Utah Jazz than
last season with the Hornets. But he knows the drill.
“The biggest thing with someone so great at everything is limiting the easy
stuff,” Williams said. “Limit the layups and keep him off the free-throw
line. He’s going to make big-time shots, the 3-pointers and the post-ups. As
a defender you don’t really worry about those because he has to make them.
Try to limit the easy stuff.
“I’m going to have to rely on my teammates quite a bit to be in the right
positions. No one man can stop LeBron James. He is the best of the best.”
Teammates Al Jefferson and Kemba Walker get what Williams was saying.
“Marvin is the one out there one-on-one, but we all have to defend him,”
center Jefferson said. “He’s the best. Even when he has a bad team it’s a
good game. We have to be as one: make one effort, two efforts, three efforts.
”
Jefferson said James is most dangerous when he gets into the lane and creates
preposterously easy 3-point attempts for teammates. The response, Jefferson
said, is “making him see bodies” defensively.
“It’s never a one-on-one league,” point guard Walker added of guarding a
player of James’ stature. “He’s a great player, probably the best player
in our league for years now. We all know we’ve got to be on point. We can’t
leave Marvin out there to dry.”
文長大約翻譯一下重點
LBJ已經很久不知道甚麼叫輸給夏洛特了，因為上一次交手輸球已經是2010年2月19號的事
那時候LBJ都還在騎士，尚沒加入熱火。儘管之後加入熱火現在又回到克里夫蘭，LBJ對夏
洛特山貓/黃蜂 仍然是22場連勝。
明天兩隊將要對上。
黃蜂陣中防守大將小前鋒Michael Kidd-Gilchrist因肩膀手術這一季都沒法上，黃蜂教練
表示希望P.J. Hairston and Marvin Williams可以擔此大任，不要逼他在第四節前改由
Batun來守。
Marvin Williams隊防守LBJ還挺有經驗，他表示：「盡量限制他切入、讓他多停留在罰球
線後做中距離或是三分線出手是個比較好的策略。」
Al Jefferson and Kemba Walker也同意他的說法，「我們會一起協防，LBJ最危險的地方
是當他切入時他會製造機會分球給在三分線外的隊友出手，所以必須要切斷這樣的導傳」